zlacker

>>sohkam+(OP)
That's an early version of the system. I've seen pictures of a later version, which was an IBM 3270 display with a phone handset, but no keyboard. The idea was that the executive would pick up the phone and be connected to someone in a call center who would then do spreadsheet-type operations for them. Don't know if that was deployed much.

>>Animat+V4
Very prescient! That's pretty much how my execs work with MS Teams and my Excel models - they call me and I manipulate them on the screen for them :-D

>>snthpy+ra
In the early 1990s, I was working on GUI email software. Not much different than the email software at university, just the pixel resolution was higher with GUI.

The dev team went out "into the field" to help roll out the software to the company. This also allowed us to see how others used the software.

At the end of the day, one of the devs reported back that one personal assistant would maximize the email app's window (back when 17" CRT monitors were large) and after each email was processed, she'd print out the email and file it the appropriate spot in a filing cabinet.

All the devs were, "But... But... she can just file the email in an email folder in the program. Why does she need hardcopy? Email was supposed to save trees!"

>>canuck+Qh
> Why does she need hardcopy? Email was supposed to save trees!

Old habits take a while to change. Managers and executives were used to reports and memos on paper. So when email arrived, it was very common for secretaries to print emails for their bosses to read. Even at one of my early jobs in the 1990s, changes deployed to production had to be documented in memo form, and a copy of the memo printed, along with diffs of the code changes, and filed in a filing cabinet.

We got there eventually. I'd say that for all but the oldest generation still working, printing any kind of document to hardcopy has become pretty rare, at least where I'm working.

>>SoftTa+Gj1
Paper is a lot easier to read than a screen, even a modern 4k monitor is harder on the eyes than paper (I have no tried epaper displays). Paper also provides a lot more resolution, sometimes when the code is tricky the only sane option is to print out all 3 chains worth of that class (you can should turn that into sensible measurements via your favorite unit converted to get a sense of scale, but I think you will agree chains is the correct measure), spread it out on the floor with a pen and start reading and cross referencing things.